Combination supporting and pleating structure for curtains



COMBINATION SUPPORTING AND PLEATING STRUCTURE FOR CURTAINS Filed Jan. 2 1961 E. F. BOBBITT Dec. 24, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.

INVENTOR. EUGENE F. BOBBITT /l{p 4 M, a id I ATTORNEYS Dec. 24, 1963 E. F. BOBBITT 3,115,182

COMBINATION SUPPORTING AND PLEATING STRUCTURE FOR CURTAINS Filed Jan. 26. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. EUGEN E F. BOBBITT BY b @m, FJWfl/EW, ur%m k pm! ATTORNEYS United States Patent Oflice 3,1 15,182 Patented Dec. 24,. 1963.

3,115,182 COMBINATION SUPPORTING AND PLEATING STRUCTURE FQR CURTAINS Eugene F. Bobbitt, 191 Willoughby St., Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed Jan. 26, 1961, Ser. No. 85,130 2 Claims. (Cl. 16025) This invention is related to a curtain or drapery sup porting structure and more particularly is related to a curtain or drapery supporting structure which forms pleated curtains from unpleated curtain material.

[It is customary to provide a supporting structure for draw-type draperies above a window or in front of a stage in theaters, for example, which supports pleated curtain material. Generally, when not in use the curtain is open and the curtain material is bunched together at the ends of a supporting rod. In these devices means are provided for moving the pleated curtain portions from the ends of the supporting rod toward one another so that the window or stage is covered by pleated curtain material. These prior art devices. have long been in use and have been effective where pleated curtain material is being used. The disadvantage of these devices is that they require the use of pleated curtain or drapery material if it is desired that the window or stage be covered by pleated material. I'Ihe requirement of using pleated curtains substantially increases the cost of such devices, since it is difficult and expensive to form and maintain pleated curtains adapted for use in these devices.

'In accordance with this invention a draw box or storage means which includes a spiral track means is provided which will store and support the unpleated curtain or drapery material in less space than has been heretofore possible when the curtains or drapes are open. The invention further includes a sinuous track means, which in the present embodiment, takes the form of sinuous slot means which guides and supports the material so that the material follows the path of the track means and gives thereby the appearance or effect of pleated or full material. It will be understood, as the description proceeds, that although the invention as illustrated shows two spiral track means cooperating with a single sinuous track means whereby the curtain or drapery material moves towards and away from the spiral track means that the present invention is not necessarily limited to this particular arrangement and that a single spiral track means would be useful with a single sinuous track means. \It will also be understood that the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to curtain material made of textile-like ma terial, but is also applicable to curtains made of individual parts such as steel wires. The provision of the sinuous track means provides what may be termed a controlled fullness for the curtain material, regardless of the type of material used.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of this invention to provide a material supporting structure whereby unpleated curtain material is given the appearance of pleated curtain material.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device including track means wherein draw draperies, which are not pleated, are given a controlled fullness having the effect of pleated draperies when drawn into aclosed position.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device for supporting curtain or drapery material wherein spiral and sinuous track means are used to support in such a way that unpleated curtain material gives the appearance of pleated curtain material.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for supporting curtain or drapery material wherein the material supporting element has a sinuous slot 2. therein so unpleated curtain material gives the appearance of pleated curtain material.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a drapery hanging device which includes a supporting member having a sinuous slot therein which has mounted therein a flexible traveler means for supporting unpleated curtain material in a manner whereby the material follows the sinuous path.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved drapery or curtain supporting device wherein a flexible traveler means which follows a sinuous path used.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved drapery or curtain supporting device wherein a flexible traveler means which follows a sinuous path and is removably connected by flexible means to the material is used.

Still another object is to provide a material supporting device wherein a pair of spiral track means cooperates with a single sinuous track means for supporting the material.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in partwill be obvious from the description, or may be learnedrom practice or the invention, the objects and advantages being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalit-ies and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the curtain or drapery supporting device according to the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view showing the relationship between curtain and the curtain carrying means and the support for the curtain carrying means with certain elements broken away.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the draw box or stor ing device taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a top view of FIGURE 3 with certain parts removed.

FIGURE 5 is a schematic view of the device showing a manner of opening the curtains.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and are not restrictive of the invention.

Reference will now be made to the present preferred embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

With reference to FIGURE ,1, there is shown two pieces of curtain or drapery material M extending partially from the draw boxes storage discs 2. As apparent from FIGURES 1 and 4, the material that is within the curtain storage devices is unpleated whereas the material which is extending from the material storage devices 2' gives the appearance of a pleated or full curtain.

In accordance with this invention track means are provided for giving up unpleated material the appearance of pleated material when the curtain or drapery material is in a closed position. As embodied herein, this means comprises a substantially rectangular box-like supporting structure 4 which extends from and between the storage devices 2. The bottom surface 6 of the supporting structure, as shown more clearly in FIGURE 2, has a slot means 8 therein. This slot has a sinusoidal curvature thereto, which as will be explained, constitutes a sinuous track means and which in combination with other elements causes the curtain material to follow the same path as the sinuous track means, thus giving unpleated 3 curtain material the appearance of pleated curtain material.

In accordance with this invention, means are provided for carrying the curtain material so that the curtain material is given the same contour as the slot means. As shown herein, this means includes the flexible traveler which can be extended from the draw box 2 to a position intermediate the draw boxes 2. The flexible traveler has what may be termed a dumbbell shape and includes a rod-shaped supporting track engaging portion 12 and a rod-shaped curtain engaging portion -14. Intermediate the box engaging portion and the curtain engaging portion 14 is a rectangular, reduced diameter connecting element 16 adapted to slidably move within the slots means. The flexible traveler means, it will be appreciated, can be made of any suitable flexible plastic or tractable material and has a plurality of slots or slits 18 extending partially therethrough to permit the flexible traveler to adapt itself to the path of the slot means.

The box engaging portion 12 of the flexible traveler is provided with an aperture in the approximate center thereof which accommodates a draw string or wire 29. The string, it is to be understood, is fixed with respect to the flexible traveler and hence, movement of the string results in movement of the traveler.

According to this invention, means are provided for releasably engaging the flexible traveler means with the curtain material. As shown in FIGURE 2, for purposes of illustration, it will be seen that the curtain engaging portion 14 of the dumb-bell-shaped flexible traveler means 10' has a slot or recess 22 which extends throughout its length. A sheet or plate 24 of flexible plastic or rubberlike material having an abutment 26 with a shape complementary to the recess 22 in the flexible traveler is provided to which the curtain material may be suitably attached in any convenient fashion. It will be appreciated that the curtain carrying plate 24 has a snap fitting engagement with the flexible traveler 10 and can be removed therefrom or attached thereto quickly in order to change the curtain or draper material. In order that the snap fitting elements 22, 26- not carry the entire load of the material support plate 24 and the curtain material, a plurality of metallic retaining pins 28 are provided along the flexible traveler. As shown in FIGURE 2, the retaining pin 28 fits through an aperture in the flexible traveler 10 and engages a recess in an abutment 35} on the material carrying plate 24.

In accordance with this invention, spiral track means are provided for storing the unpleated curtain material and for permitting opening and closing of the curtains or draperies. This means is most clearly illustrated in FIGURE 3. It will be understood that only one storage means is illustrated in FIGURE 3 since the two storage means are identical except, as will be apparent as the description proceeds. As herein embodied, the draw box storage means 2 includes an outwardly facing supporting structure 32 having a substantially rectangular form and having an inwardly extending flange means 34 on opposing sides of the supporting structure. A spiral track supporting structure 33 is attached to the flange means 34 by means of bolts 36. The spiral track supporting structure 33 cooperates with other means to form a spiral track means within which the unpleated material is located when the materail is not in use and the curtains or draperies are open.

Extending downwardly from the supporting member 33 are a plurality of bars 35 having outwardly extending fingers 38 at the end thereof which are adapted to support and slidably engage the supporting track engaging portion 12 of the dumb-bell-shaped flexible traveler means 10. From inspection of FIGURE 4, it will be understood that the bars 35 and fingers 38 are arranged to form a spiral track means in which the material is stored when the curtains or draperies are opened. The spiral track means cooperates with the slot means 8 to form cooperating '4 spiral and sinuous track means for supporting the curtain or drapery material and providing thereby a controlled fullness for the curtain or drapery material.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that in lieu of a plurality of bars 3 5 it may be desirable to provide a single support element from which fingers 38 extend. This modification has the advantage that it can be cast, for example, during the casting of the supporting member 33.

Extending through the center of the spiral track supporting structure 33 and removably attached through washer and nut assembly 40 to the outer supporting structure 32 is a stud or shaft means 41. integrally attached to the stud means so as to rotate therewith is. a wheel 42 and a reel 44.

The reel 44 cooperates with the draw string or wire 2%) which extends through and is integral with the flexible traveler means to cause closing of the curtain material or removal of the material from the draw box or storage means. As illustrated in FIGURE 1, the draw strings 20 extend freely from the flexible traveler Ill and when pulled either singularly or together, will pull the flexible traveler and hence the curtain material from the draw box 2. This arrangement permits one or both curtains to be pulled from the storage means as desired. It will be understood that the present invention is not limited to any particular type of operating means and that other and equivalent means may be used. It is contemplated, for example, that means may be provided whereby a single cord or wire is used to close the curtains simultaneously. In the present embodiment, however, the other end of the draw string 20 is attached to the reel 44 in any convenient fashion so as to be wrapped therearound when the curtain material is within the storage means.

The wheel 42 cooperates with another draw string 46 to open the curtain or draperies in a manner most clearly shown in schematic fashion in FIGURE 5. As therein illustrated, the draw string 46 is wrapped at least one full turn around each wheel 42 and is guided by a pulley 48 (FIGURE 3) into a downward position whereby it can be easily grasped. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that when the draw string is pulled that the wheels will rotate and since the wheel 42, reel 44 and shaft 41 rotate together, the flexible traveler 10 with the curtain material will be drawn into the draw or supply box means.

In operation, it will be understood that when the curtains or draperies are closed that the material will, by virtue of the spiral track means, he maintained in its unpleated condition. When, however, the material is pulled or drawn along the track means, the material will follow the path of the track means, and, hence, will give the effect of pleated curtain material.

It is to be understood that the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific elements shown and described, but also includes within the scope of the accompanying claims, any departures made from such elements which do not sacrifice its chief advantages.

What is claimed is:

l. A drapery material supporting device for giving the effect of pleated curtains from unpleated material comprising two spaced spiral track means, intermediate track means having a sinuous slot longitudinally thereof cooperating with and extending between said spiral track means, a flexible traveler means having a length adapted to extend through a substantial portion of said sinuous slot and having a dumbbell shaped section comprising a longitudinally extending web having enlarged edge portions on opposite longitudinal edges thereof, said web being adapted to extend through said sinuous slot with the enlarged edge portions thereof disposed above and below said slot, the enlarged edge portion above said sinuous slot having a plurality of longitudinally spaced slits extending transversely partially through said enlarged edge portion thereby providing additional flexibility thereto Whereby said entire traveler is adapted to conform to the curvature of each of said track means and to move freely therethrough, a flexible drapery material mounting plate having means releasably mounting said flexible plate on said enlarged edge portion below said slot, and means for moving said flexible traveler means along the paths of said spiral and sinuous track means.

2. A curtain rod structure comprising: a pair of spiral track means adapted to store curtain material and each having a spiral track slot therein, a horizontally disposed supporting track member having a sinuous slot in the bottom side thereof interconnecting with said spiral slots, said sinuous slot track member being mounted between said pair of spiral track means, a non-metallic flexible traveler of a length adapted to extend through a substantial portion of said sinuous slot and having a dumbbell shaped section With enlarged edges and a connecting Web arranged for support of said web in said sinuous slot With one of said enlarged edges having a plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely extending slits and supported above said slots and the other enlarged edge below said slots, said other enlarged edge having a longitudinally extending groove therein, a flexible plate having an abutment thereon releasably secured in said groove and thereby conforming to the contours of said traveler, said flexible plate being adapted to carry unpleated curtain material whereby said curtain material is given the appearance of pleated curtain material When said traveler is supported by said sinuous slot track member.

References (Jited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 45,366 Vrydagh Dec. 6, 1864 346,752 Hinternesch et al. Aug. 3, 1886 670,227 Gray Mar. 19, 1901 1,621,717 Grant et al Mar. 22, 1927 1,835,644 Grassi Dec. 8, 1931 2,658,572 Vallen Nov. 10, 1953 

1. A DRAPERY MATERIAL SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR GIVING THE EFFECT OF PLEATED CURTAINS FROM UNPLEATED MATERIAL COMPRISING TWO SPACED SPIRAL TRACK MEANS, INTERMEDIATE TRACK MEANS HAVING A SINUOUS SLOT LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF COOPERATING WITH AND EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SPIRAL TRACK MEANS, A FLEXIBLE TRAVELER MEANS HAVING A LENGTH ADAPTED TO EXTEND THROUGH A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF SAID SINUOUS SLOT AND HAVING A DUMBBELL SHAPED SECTION COMPRISING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING WEB HAVING ENLARGED EDGE PORTIONS ON OPPOSITE LONGITUDINAL EDGES THEREOF, SAID WEB BEING ADAPTED TO EXTEND THROUGH SAID SINUOUS SLOT WITH THE ENLARGED EDGE PORTIONS THEREOF DISPOSED ABOVE AND BELOW SAID SLOT, THE ENLARGED EDGE PORTION ABOVE SAID SINUOUS SLOT HAVING A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED SLITS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY PARTIALLY THROUGH SAID ENLARGED EDGE PORTION THEREBY PROVIDING ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITY THERETO WHEREBY SAID ENTIRE TRAVELER IS ADAPTED TO CONFORM TO THE CURVATURE OF EACH OF SAID TRACK MEANS AND TO MOVE FREELY THERETHROUGH, A FLEXIBLE DRAPERY MATERIAL MOUNTING PLATE HAVING MEANS RELEASABLY MOUNTING SAID FLEXIBLE PLATE ON SAID ENLARGED EDGE PORTION BELOW SAID SLOT, AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID FLEXIBLE TRAVELER MEANS ALONG THE PATHS OF SAID SPIRAL AND SINUOUS TRACK MEANS. 